When a pet needs surgery, the cost can put treatment out of reach. VEG ER for Pets’ Lifeline Veterinary Surgical Services’ program is helping more families and animal shelters find a path to life-saving care.
Care through Lifeline is made possible by a generous grant from Maddie’s Fund®, a national family foundation established by Dave and Cheryl Duffield to revolutionize the status and well-being of companion animals, to VEG’s philanthropy VEG Cares. The Lifeline program is being piloted in the San Ramon, California area. VEG medical teams, referring veterinarians, and local shelters are working together to connect pets facing financial barriers with critical surgical treatment.
With more than 275 surgeries completed and counting, Lifeline is already making a transformative difference.
Real patient cases helped by Lifeline
For pets like Snoop and Pesto, VEG Lifeline has already made a life-changing difference.
Snoop, a 9-year-old Chihuahua and service dog for a young child, arrived unable to urinate due to a urinary obstruction and enlarged prostate. His family felt like they were out of options.
Says VEG ER Doctor Courtney Dewlaney, “Unfortunately, financial limitations and a lack of access to the resources needed to provide this level of care can create significant barriers for families seeking surgical treatment for their pets.”
Through Lifeline, Snoop received surgery to remove several small bladder stones and was neutered during the same procedure to address his prostate condition. His prognosis is excellent, and his family was overwhelmed with gratitude.
Pesto, a small terrier mix, came to Lifeline with a severe body wall hernia. He had part of his intestines trapped in the damaged area. His family learned that surgery might still be possible through Lifeline.
Pesto received the surgery he needed, giving him a chance at recovery.
These are just two of the 275+ pets Lifeline has helped to date. Each case represents an opportunity to provide care for pets whose families may not have any other options.
How VEG’s Lifeline vet surgery program works
Lifeline serves pets whose families or caregivers face financial hardship, as well as shelter animals whose surgical needs exceed available resources. Depending on the pet’s condition, care is provided through two approaches:
Urgent and emergency surgeries: Eligible pets may receive treatment at participating VEG hospitals in San Ramon, Pleasant Hill, and Larkspur, California.
Schedulable surgeries: Procedures that don’t require immediate intervention may be performed at partner facilities on days their operating rooms are typically not in use.
Maddie’s Fund helps cover surgical supplies, medications, and other treatment-related expenses so participating shelters and animal hospitals incur no additional financial burden. By combining Maddie's Fund's commitment to animal well-being with VEG's emergency veterinary expertise, Lifeline is helping more animals access treatment that might otherwise be out of reach.
Current shelter partners include Oakland Animal Services and Valley Humane.
How referring vets can get involved in VEG’s Lifeline program
The program is an opportunity for veterinary professionals within and outside of VEG to help patients who need surgery. VEG’s referring veterinarians can help identify potential candidates for the program, particularly pets with urgent surgical needs or conditions that significantly affect their quality of life.
If you’re a referring vet and would like to learn more or are interested in participating, email us at: Lifeline@veg.com
Working together to help more pets
For pet parents, the Lifeline program offers another potential path to care when financial barriers make treatment impossible. For referring veterinarians and animal shelter partners, it creates opportunities to connect eligible patients with surgical resources and collaborate with veterinary professionals who share a commitment to helping animals.
Live in the bay area or local surrounding areas and interested in participating? Email Lifeline@veg.com for more information. From there, a VEG emergency vet will review your case to determine whether the program is a good fit. With continued collaboration, there's an opportunity to help so many more.
